The present invention relates generally to inflatable game balls, and more specifically, to a method of inflatable game ball panel construction using different sized panel layers.
Inflatable game balls, including basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, and volleyballs, are well known in the art and typically include an outside cover with an inflatable bladder on the inside. Specifically with respect to American footballs, the outside cover is formed of multiple panels made of natural leather or hide, synthetic leather, plastic, or fabric stitched or otherwise secured to one another. The inflatable bladder is then filled with air to inflate the football.
When the inflatable bladder fills with air, the outside cover will typically stretch to some degree to reach a fully inflated condition. In the case of footballs made of natural leather or hide, the outside cover can exhibit variations in the amount of stretching due to inherent differences in the degree or amount of stretch between different pieces of leather. As a result, two footballs having covers made of identically sized pieces may have slightly different dimensions when fully inflated to the same internal pressure.
Therefore, there exists a need in the art for a method of football construction that can assist with providing a football having consistent dimensions when fully inflated.